Monsieur Bossu's treatise of the epick poem containing many curious reflexions, very useful and necessary for the right understanding and judging of the excellencies of Homer and Virgil / done into English from the French, with a new original preface upon the same subject, by W.J. ; to which are added, An essay upon satyr, by Monsieur D'Acier ; and A treatise upon pastorals, by Monsieur Fontanelle.

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Author:	Le Bossu, René, 1631-1680.
Title:	Monsieur Bossu's treatise of the epick poem containing many curious reflexions, very useful and necessary for the right understanding and judging of the excellencies of Homer and Virgil / done into English from the French, with a new original preface upon the same subject, by W.J. ; to which are added, An essay upon satyr, by Monsieur D'Acier ; and A treatise upon pastorals, by Monsieur Fontanelle.
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Print source:	Monsieur Bossu's treatise of the epick poem containing many curious reflexions, very useful and necessary for the right understanding and judging of the excellencies of Homer and Virgil / done into English from the French, with a new original preface upon the same subject, by W.J. ; to which are added, An essay upon satyr, by Monsieur D'Acier ; and A treatise upon pastorals, by Monsieur Fontanelle. Le Bossu, René, 1631-1680., W. J., Dacier, André, 1651-1722. Essay upon satyr., Fontenelle, M. de (Bernard Le Bovier), 1657-1757. Of pastorals. London: Printed for Tho. Bennet ..., 1695.
Alternate titles:	Traité du poème épique. English
Subject terms:	Homer. Virgil. Aristotle. -- Poetics. Epic poetry -- History and criticism. Pastoral poetry -- History and criticism. Satire. Poetry -- Early works to 1800.
URL:	https://name.umdl.umich.edu/A49887.0001.001
How to cite:	For suggestions on citing this text, please see Citing the TCP on the Text Creation Partnership website.

Table of Contents

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title page

To the Honoured RICHARD BLACKMORE, DOCTOR of PHYSICK, AND FELLOW of the College of Physicians in LONDON.

THE PREFACE OF THE TRANSLATOR.

THE CONTENTS.

ERRATA.

Monsieur Bossu's Treatise OF THE EPICK POEM.

BOOK I. Of the Nature of the Epick Poem; and of the Fable.

CHAP. I. The Design of the whole Work.

CHAP. II. What is the Nature of the Epick Poem.

CHAP. III. The Definition of the Epick Poem.

CHAP. IV. Of the Parts of the Epick Poem. The Division of this Treatise.

CHAP. V. Of the Poem.

CHAP. VI. Of the Fable.

CHAP. VII. The Method of Composing a Fable.

CHAP. VIII. Of the Fable of the Iliad.

CHAP. IX. A Comparison of the Fable of the Iliad, with that of Aesop.

CHAP. X. The Fable of the Odyssëis.

CHAP. XI. Of the Fable of the Aeneid.

CHAP. XII. Horace's Thoughts of the Epick Fable.

CHAP. XIII. Aristotle's Thoughts of the Epick Fable.

CHAP. XIV. Of the Real Actions, the Recitals whereof are Fables.

CHAP. XV. Of the feign'd Actions, the Recitals whereof are Historical.

CHAP. XVI. Of the Vicious Multiplication of Fables.

CHAP. XVII. Of the Regular Multiplication of Fables.

CHAP. XVIII. The Conclusion of the First Book.

Monsieur Bossu's Treatise OF THE EPICK POEM. BOOK II. Concerning the subject Matter of the Epick Poem, or concerning the Action.

CHAP. I. What the subject Matter of the Epick Poem is.

CHAP. II. Episodes consider'd in their Original.

CHAP. III. An Explication of the foregoing Doctrine by an Instance.

CHAP. IV. Of the several sorts of Episodes, and what is meant by this Term.

CHAP. V. Concerning the Nature of Episodes.

CHAP. VI. The Definition of Episodes.

CHAP. VII. Of the Ʋnity of the Action.

CHAP. VIII. Of the Faults which corrupt the Unity of the Action.

CHAP. IX. Of the Integrity of the Action

CHAP. X. That the Action ought to be a Whole.

CHAP. XI. Of the Beginning, Middle and End of the Action.

CHAP. XII. Of the Causes of the Action.

CHAP. XIII. Of the Intrigue, and the Ʋnravelling thereof.

CHAP. XIV. The Way of forming the Plot or Intrigue.

CHAP. XV. How to dispose, or prepare the Ʋnravelling.

CHAP. XVI. Of the several sorts of Actions.

CHAP. XVII. Of the Conclusion of the Action.

CHAP. XVIII. Of the Duration of the Action.

CHAP. XIX. Of the Importance of the Action.

Monsieur Bossu's Treatise OF THE EPICK POEM. BOOK III. Concerning the Form of the Epick Poem, or concerning the Nar∣ration.

CHAP. I. Of the Parts of the Narration.

CHAP. II. Of the Title of the Epick Poem.

CHAP. III. Of the Proposition.

CHAP. IV. Of the Invocation.

CHAP. V. Of the Body of the Poem, or the Narration properly so called.

CHAP. VI. How the Narration is Pleasant.

CHAP. VII. Of Probability.

CHAP. VIII. Of the Admirable, or the Marvellous.

CHAP. IX. Of the Passions.

CHAP. X. How the Narration ought to be Active.

CHAP. XI. Of the Continuity of the Action, and the Order of the Narration.

CHAP. XII. Of the Duration of the Narration.

Monsieur Bossu's Treatise OF THE EPICK POEM. BOOK IV. Concerning the Manners of the Epick Poem.

CHAP. I. Concerning the Manners in General.

CHAP. II. Of the Causes of the Manners.

CHAP. III. Concerning the Manners of other Sciences besides Poetry.

CHAP. IV. Of the Manners of Poetry.

CHAP. V. Whether the Hero of the Poem ought to be an Honest Man, or no?

CHAP. VI. Of the Poetical Goodness of the Manners.

CHAP. VII. Of the three other Qualifications of the Manners.

CHAP. VIII. Of the Character of the Personages. Aristotle's Words about it.

CHAP. IX. Of the Characters of Achilles, Ulysses, and Aeneas.

CHAP. X. The Character of the other Personages.

CHAP. XI. What the Character is.

CHAP. XII. Of the Ʋnity of the Character in the Hero.

CHAP. XIII. The Unity of the Character in the Poem.

CHAP. XIV. Of the Justness of the Character.

CHAP. XV. Of false Characters.

Monsieur Bossu's Treatise OF THE EPICK POEM. BOOK V. Concerning the Machines.

CHAP. I. Of the several sorts of Deities.

CHAP. II. Of the Manners of the Gods.

CHAP. III. How the Gods act in a Poem.

CHAP. IV. When one must make use of Machines.

CHAP. V. How the Machines are to be us'd.

CHAP. VI. Whether the Presence of the Gods is any Dis∣paragement to the Heroes.

Monsieur Bossu's Treatise OF THE EPICK POEM. BOOK VI. Concerning the Thoughts and the Expression.

CHAP. I. The Foundation of this Doctrine.

CHAP. II. Concerning Descriptions.

CHAP. III. Of Comparisons or Similes.

CHAP. IV. Concerning Sentences.

CHAP. V. Of Disguis'd Sentences.

CHAP. VI. Concerning several other Thoughts.

CHAP. VII. Of the Expression.

CHAP. VIII. How one ought to judge of Elocution.

AN ESSAY ƲPON SATYR, Written by the Famous Monsieur DACIER.

OF PASTORALS. By Monsieur De FONTENELLE, Englished by Mr. MOTTEUX.